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Sailing Breeze
"Sailing is always a breeze at Windsong"

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Windsong Sailing Academy Press
3966 Secluded Circle, S.W.
Lilburn, Georgia 30047-2233
770-931-9151

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Vol. 34

2005

                    WHAT'S GOING ON THIS SEASON              .

 
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     Capt Dave's Tips        

1) Our next "In Town" social event will be THIS FRIDAY night 3/18/05 at Dave and Buster's - Gwinnett.   Dave & Buster's will be hosting another Comedy Performance night at the Gwinnett location starting at 9 pm.  This will be our fourth Comedy night out and the place was nearly packed last month!  Reservations are FIRST-COME because we can only block out so many seats, so if you're coming, you better shout quickly. Since the show starts an hour later than last month, come join us for awesome deserts, but if you're having a late dinner you'll want to arrive early so you can have dinner in the restaurant and be done by the time the show begins.  The door cover is just $5 making this one incredible deal! Dave & Buster's is also one of the few places to play a game of pool in a smokeless environment.  In the past we've really enjoyed these events and expect a good turnout so call us early to reserve your seat!  Dan Fontaine will be the host of this month's comedians Tim Miller and headliner Marshall Chiles. 

2) I have some good friends that have an open cabin on a Lagoon 410 catamaran in the British Virgin Islands July 1st thru July 9th this summer.  Interested candidates should be fun loving partiers and not budget minded. Hey, after all this is the British Islands! The cabin would be $1,295 which is certainly reasonable but be prepared to wine and dine!  The catamaran will team up with another 3 couples on a 50 foot powerboat affording access to some areas where the cat may not navigate. Plans are to spend a night ashore in St Thomas before and after the charter period to facilitate flights back to the states. If you're interested I can put you in touch with the trip Captain for more details.  Last chance!

3) Here's my tip for March; REEFING is not for sissies!  The weather is always a challenge but the past few weeks have brought some strong winds. In controlled training sessions, we will often allow the boat to become overpowered or temporarily out of control in an attempt to allow students to experience the various conditions for later reference and judgment. Often times the difference between "In Control" and "Out of Control" may be a simple shift of the crew, sail trim or helm change. Our training fleet has the ability to sail in winds in the high teens or beyond depending on the boat, but it's not always about the seaworthiness of the vessel that's the issue.  What many sailors often fail to understand is that the sails are designed with specific weight fabrics that have a range of safe operation wind speeds.  Reefing may minimize the heel and improve steerage handling, but the portion of the sail that is still in use can be stretched beyond it's operational wind pressure load range. Pushing a boat to heel excessively can be exciting to some and terrifying to others, but the real harm may come to the sails and the life of their use.  The increased drag of excessive heeling causes the boat to slow down and creates excessive weather helm. You may have one crew member that enjoys it but everyone else onboard may feel they are defying gravity as the people on the windward side get further away from the water and the people on the leeward side start to inch closer.  This is usually the point when mutinies occur often announced by a crew or family member yelling, "I'm never sailing with YOU again"The prudent sailor (i.e., one who wants company the next time he/she goes sailing) reefs early and deep-"The time to reef is when you first think about it".  If the wind is blowing beyond the range for the sails, a different tact is needed; pack it in!

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     So What's NEW!

Our SPRING MADNESS event begins April 1st.  NO this isn't a cruel April Fools Day Joke! Attend any ground school class during April and your next ground school taken within 30 days will be $30 off!  Attending a third ground school class within the same 30 day period will be $30 off plus receive a coupon for a HALF OFF our FUN sail on one of our spring or summer independent 2-hr sailing sessions on Lanier.  Take a 4th ground class within the same 30 day period and you get the $30 off plus a FREE FUN sail coupon. 

This is a limited special and only applies to NEW booking reservations made before the end of March for classes occurring during April.  

April    1st ground school class                                    $179. 
            2nd ground school class within 30 days            $149.
            3rd ground school class within same 30 days    $149 plus HALF OFF FUN sail coupon!
            4th ground school class within same 30 days    $149 plus FREE FUN sail coupon!

     So What's Been Going On?

The Summer Adventures Expo  

This past weekend Windsong was a charter exhibitor at the first annual Summer Adventures Expo conducted in Suwanee's newest park "Town Park".  Adrenaline Climbing boldly hosted the county's first sports and recreation exclusively expo and the turnout was impressive.  The weather was wonderful and everyone had a great time.  The prizes and entertainment throughout the afternoon was accented only by the excellent display of kites and great wind for the day's events.  Windsong will be presenting an excellent sailing oriented program at Adrenaline Climbing during their forthcoming regional climbing competition. 

If life has you climbing the walls, you really should be doing it at Adrenaline Climbing!

ADRENALINE CLIMBING
460 Brogdon Rd. Suite 100, Suwanee, GA 30024
770.271.1390  FAX: 770.271.1335

www.adrenalineclimbing.com

The North Atlanta Trade Center Boat Show was a success!

 The March show had good attendance marking Windsong's third show at north Atlanta's most convenient boat show venue.  The weather was just right for boat shopping and the mood inside the show reflected the improved economic climate Atlanta is enjoying.  Windsong experienced respectable interest by visitors to the show and as a result bookings this spring continue to increase.  2005 so far looks like a return to "Business as normal" for the boating industry and we are proceeding ahead with our development of new programs, new locations and expanded operations to accommodate the demand.

 

Windsong is invited to join Snug Harbor .

In April Windsong's Lanier facility will relocate to the Snug Harbor Boats & Company complex on Peachtree Industrial Blvd. We are excited about joining this hub of sailing activity where many sailors have their sail work done by the Sail Loft or purchase boats from the varied collection of new and boats for resale.  The "Build Out" is nearly complete and will feature a training area for Windsong in addition to boat sales offices and room for other related businesses at the center.  We will post more details about the Grand Opening once the construction nears completion and classes begin.
     

 

Windsong T-Shirts -

        Get 'Em While They Last!

    These are great T-Shirts to tell others about
            your sport and accomplishments
Only three dozen were initially ordered and there aren't many left.  This is one of our annual Fund Raising events to offset the costs of providing the "Something Special" that we've all grown accustomed to throughout the season.  We all enjoy the benefits that these activities make possible. The white T-Shirts have the prestigious Windsong logo on the front and the FULL COLOR artwork on the back that makes this shirt so unusual.  Full color for just $15, what a deal and a great way to support your sport.             Call us TODAY and we'll get one to you.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW?

"SNOWFOX" Returns

This weekend Snowfox, our newest addition to the fleet sets sail.  If you're looking for some new excitement, try our Corsair F-24 Trimaran.  Leisurely cruising at 12 knots while sitting only 18 inches above the water can be one of the most exciting experiences you'll have under sail.  And that's only the beginning! 

A multi hull is as similar as it is dissimilar to mono hulls.  Twin headsails, a huge mainsail and three hulls provide fast acceleration and a smooth ride.  The sound of the hulls slicing through the water as the winds parts your hair is exhilarating. 

Come be among the first to experience this newest addition to the Windsong fleet!  Reservations are "First Come, First Serve".   "Snowfox" will operate from Aqualand Marina Dock Y-1a in the same general area as the Colgate 26.

"For whatever we lose, it's always ourselves we find in the sea"
 

 

Windsong HATS!!!!

These superior quality white embroidered caps will be collector's items. 

Not only are they extremely comfortable and easily adjustable, they are breathable and offer and long visor to protect your face from the sun. 

A good sailing hat IS hard to find and these will fit the bill for a number of season.

One size fits all, but at $15, these are going FAST! 

REI sells the same hat for $19.95 but ours are embroidered!

 

National Vessel Examination Q & A Page

HOW SAFE IS YOUR BOAT?
Once again, Windsong is preparing to conduct U.S. Coast Guard approved and U.S. Sail and Power Squadron sponsored Vessel Safety Examinations (VSE) this season. Safety inspections are free and cover all the Federal and State requirements for your size vessel (Sail or Power) in addition to general overall suggestions appropriate for safe and informed boating.  We do not issue citations nor report you to authorities for noncompliance.  Our intent is to inspect and educate. In the past, we've inspected brand new boats that have failed, and have surprised seasoned boaters who learned that they were merely one DNR (law enforcing agency on Lanier) stop away from a hefty fine for violations.  One boat in particular had an inoperably crushed ventilation hose and another had cracks in the refueling hose leading to the fuel tank. If you or someone you know owns a boat, call us and we'll make arrangements for you to receive a courtesy inspection.

 

FOR SALE!  GOT SOMETHING TO SELL?  Try Our For Sale New Site Free.
Although we intend to limit items for sale to our student members, we will consider items submitted from the general public as well.  We'll play it by ear to see how it goes.  Just remember to let us know when the item is sold so that we can keep our web site current.  So here's the link Items For Sale.

GOT A BUSINESS YOU WANT TO ADVERTISE?
As a suggestion from one of our students, we're starting a Student Business Links web page. If you work for, own or are a principle in a business or hobby that you'd like to have included on this free links page, send us your web address and a brief description about your business and services. Any special discounts extended to fellow students should be mentioned as well.  Students would certainly like to do business with one of their own over a perfect stranger, so let us know about your business, service or hobby.

I WANT TO CHARTER A BOAT, BUT NOT SURE I KNOW ENOUGH.
At Windsong we are very responsive to student suggestions.  We are here to serve you and your needs and continue to rapidly implement ideas offered by our students.  Most every week during the summer we offer "Fun Sails" for advanced students who want to charter a boat by themselves, but aren't sure about their abilities to do so. Fun Sails do have a Captain aboard for safety purposes, but what you do and where you go is up to you and the others aboard your outing.  These are not "Instructional" outings but could include some instruction if requested.  You are on your own to strut your stuff or merely to kick back and just enjoy some time on the water without all the "Tacking" and "Gibing" every two-seconds.

"There is something about going to sea. A little bit of discipline, self-discipline and humility are required."

Warning To Returning Students: If you don't already have outings booked through December you should seriously consider doing so now.

   
HATE THAT SPAM?
Ever noticed that all official Windsong emails have the word "WINDSONG:" in the subject? That's so that you can use a filter or rule to intercept and redirect Windsong emails into a dedicated folder based upon this trait.  That way we won't ever wind up in your SPAM folders and accidentally deleted.  This is actually a two-way street.  Any replies from you will automatically contain the same identifier in the subject and we can prevent it's accidental deletion as well.  So any emails from you to us should contain the words "WINDSONG" in the subject or you risk censure by our anti spam software.  Daily we receive just over 400 SPAM emails and find the use of filtering software imperative.  Don't risk loosing our emails, filter TODAY!

 

Friends don't let their friends go through life
without experiencing sailing!

Invite someone to join you today!

PLEASE, REACH OUT AND TOUCH US,

                We're listening!!

Many times students' suggestions are implemented on the spot!  We pride ourselves in our customer service and attention to the needs of our students. If you have thoughts or ideas, drop us a line or give us a call.  All things are possible; you simply need to ask. 

Thanks!
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all our students for their loyal support through the season(s) and encourage everyone to bring one new friend along each year as you sail.  As we grow and expand our operation, we want to make our products and services available to all who may be interested, but some one has to make the introduction.  Share the love of your sport with those who may be interested in our unique collection of programs. You'll be glad you did and so will they!